PCB_Cmd-RunPolygonManagerRunPolygonManager_AD

Applied Parameters: None

Summary

This command is used to manage the polygon pours on your board from the centralized Polygon Pour Manager dialog. The Polygon Pour Manager provides a high-level view of all polygons on the active PCB document, and provides a myriad of useful polygon-related editing features.

Polygon pours are used to create a solid or hatched (lattice) area on a PCB layer. Also referred to as copper pours, polygon pours are used to fill irregularly shaped areas of a board, automatically pouring around existing objects, connecting only to objects on the same net as the polygon pour. A polygon pour is a group design object - that is, it is made up of simpler primitive objects, either regions, or tracks and arcs.

On a signal layer, you can place a solid polygon pour to define an area for carrying large power supply currents, or as a ground-connected area for providing electro-magnetic shielding. Hatched polygon pours are commonly used for ground purposes in analog designs.

Access

This command can be accessed from the PCB Editor by:

• Choosing the Tools » Polygon Pours » Polygon Manager command from the main menus.
• Right-clicking over a placed polygon pour in the workspace then choosing the Polygon Actions » Polygon Manager command from the context menu.

Use

After launching the command, the Polygon Pour Manager dialog will open. The dialog can be used to perform all non-graphical editing of polygon pours in the design including controls to:

• Rename polygons (including the ability to use the Auto-Naming feature).
• Set polygon pour order.
• Perform repouring of all or certain polygons (modified/selected/violating).
• Shelve or unshelve all or selected polygons.
• Lock or unlock all or selected polygons.
• Ignore or keep violations for all or selected polygons (with respect to the Online DRC).
• Add/scope the polygon connection style and clearance design rules.
• Add polygon classes for selected polygons.
• Create a new polygon from either a selected polygon or the board outline.
• Access the Polygon Pour dialog for a selected polygon - allowing you to change the properties for that polygon on-the-fly.

Once all editing/management of polygons has been performed, click OK. Changes will be effected at this point. If the Repour Polygons After Modification option is enabled on the PCB Editor - General page of the Preferences dialog, the polygon(s) will be repoured automatically. Thisalso will include dependent polygon(s) if the Repour all dependent polygons after editing option is also enabled. If these options are not enabled, the polygon pour(s) will not be repoured. In this latter case, use the applicable Repour command from the Tools » Polygon Pours sub-menu.